Chapterbook
by Glimmersky
Summary: Their story can be told multiple times, but the outcome is always the same. -Drabble Collection, NejiTen-
1. Trice the Charm

Hey. My 'first' fic, once again. A little drabble thing, just the trash I spend my life writting. NejiTen, once again.

Disclaimer: No own, no sue.

* * *

"Marry me." He says, one quiet night after training; while the crickets chirped their mating songs and birds twittered away the last rays of sunlight. Tenten gasps, involuntarily.

"Why?" she asks wordlessly, hands frozen in her scrolls.

He is silent, just for a moment.

"Because I wouldn't forgive myself if you didn't."

So she turns away.

(f o r g i v e m y s e l f)

"Marry me." He says the next night after training; while Lee proclaimed his love and his fire to the dying sun. Tenten turns her head to the rising moon, brow drawn together and eyes reflecting early stars.

"Why?" she asks wordlessly, arms wrapped tightly around herself.

He is silent, just for a moment.

"Because I wouldn't forgive myself if you didn't."

So she turns away.

(f o r g i v e m y s e l f)

"Marry me." He says, the dawning sun lighting the leaves afire with its glow. The morning breeze blew them in circles, weighted rustling a backdrop for her carefully racing mind.

"Why?" she asks wordlessly, heart heavy with suspense.

He is silent, for a very long time.

"Because I love you."

So she does.

* * *

AH!! It's so agonizingly short! Why am I cursed with the inability to write anything over one page?!


	2. Spare Reading

-gasp- Gasp! Shock! I have updated!

Disclaimer: No own, no sue.

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It's a really stupid book. At least, that's what Tenten thinks.

The main character is named Eel Kcor. Eel Kcor is a failure, a student unable to pass any of his classes. Kcor can't memorize a thing, is unable to grasp basic arithmetic concepts or understand plots and characters, and does not have the tact needed to maintain a relationship with anyone but the school gym teacher. Kcor is so helplessly innocent about the situation—he doesn't acknowledge the fact he's the loser and freak of the school, at the very bottom of the fast-paced high school food chain.

The gym teacher, Otiam Iag, is an even more ridiculous character. The teacher and student pair share an absurd haircut and sense of style, both sporting bell bottoms and bowl cuts straight from the eighties. Otiam Iag is a slave driver to his students; a hundred push-ups and sit-ups each period for a warm-up is rather insane. Followed by a three-mile sprint around the school track, his teaching plans make Otiam Iag a rather unpopular teacher with the student body.

Aguuyh Ijen is another character in the book. He is the school's lone wolf, the kid that sits alone at lunch, in class, during free time—and is perfectly fine with it. Ijen turns in his homework on time, finishes his tests firsts, and aces all of his classes. In a way, Aguuyh Ijen seems to lead the pack, yet pays the rest of his classmates no heed. Ijen really is a lone wolf.

Then there's her favorite character, Netnet. She has no last name—not important enough, Tenten thinks, crinkling her nose—and is the adopted daughter of Otiam Iag. She acts as Eel's big sister, someone to cry and laugh with, along with a study buddy for the weekends. Netnet harbors a secret crush on Ijen, which Tenten feels as it she can relate with, for some strange reason.

The plot is interesting enough. Eel participates in various mundane activities with much gusto, like taking his classes and declaring his love for his love and honor student, Onurah Arukas, while attempting to become friends with Ijen. Several of the later chapters are dedicated to Ijen's secret quest to find happiness, Netnet appearing frequently in all the chapters as a mediator, friend, and shoulder to cry on. Eventually, Ijen realizes, in an extremely emotional scene in the middle of the cafeteria, realizes he had fallen in love with Netnet. He confesses to her, his confession punctuated with mysterious sobs from the closet which both ignore, and she receives it joyfully. The last chapter ends with Ijen and Netnet embracing in front of a sunset while Iag and Eel sob in the closet.

Yeah, Tenten decides, it's a really stupid book.

But strangely enough, Tenten feels compelled to read it again. When she turns the book back to the cover, she dies a little on the inside.

Because there, on the cover in bright, bold, _green_ letters was:

A COLLABORATION OF MAITO GAI AND HIS BELOVEDLY YOUTHFUL STUDENT, ROCK LEE!

Really, how did she not notice?

* * *

In case you didn't get it, try reversing the names. A quick scribble on my part, nothing special. I really feel bad for Tenten, though, having to suffer through all that. Maybe it should be Neji's turn...  
-malicious grin-


	3. Taking a Metaphor

OMJ! Reviews! The goddess/god of fanfiction has blessed me!

Disclaimer: No own, no sue.

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There's an oak tree in their clearing.

It's a pretty oak tree, with grass green leaves and gracefully curving branches, leaves dancing in the breeze that flattens the grass stems until shadows create depressions in the ground. Scattered acorns dotted the clearing, springtime catkins lending color to the clearing. But the most remarkable feature wasn't the leaves or the bark or the acorns—it was the amazing straightness of the main trunk. It extended about fifty meters above the ground until everything was lost in foliage, limbs branching off from the main trunk at random intervals.

Neji hates the oak tree in their clearing.

At first, it was practicality. Unlike the other trees in Konoha, the oak was too weak to support weight on its branches, too leafy to provide cover without completely obscuring vision. Her chakra strings would get tangled in the leaves, and more than once, Neji would find himself backed up against the oak planted straight in the middle of the training grounds.

Then, sometime during their third month as a team, it storms. The rain pounds down on Konoha and the thunder echo's against the mountain and deafens her ears but she keeps pulling out scrolls—her dragons crushed to the ground by rain and water glistening off her strings. Then, a flash of light, and the air is sparking with tension and her hair is on end and a strike of lightning hits the oak, and all the branches fall, leaving the trunk scarred and ashen, but straight.

It brings back memories.

So the next day, as water seeps into her shoes and mud splashes against the bottom hem of her pants, she isn't surprised to find Neji at the training grounds, attacking the oak. He systematically circles the tree and, in some off-beat rhythm, pounds his fists against the tree while chakra twists around his fist.

She wordlessly hands him an axe. He swings it in big, arcing, planes; the wind churning as he slices through the air and strikes the wood. Neji hacks at the oak with the most barbaric strength she has ever seen him use—a stark contrast to his normal elegance.

Eventually, the oak tree falls with grace. Neji isn't pleased.

* * *

In case I was being vague, the whole oak thing represented the Main and Branch families. The whole thing is...well, I'd actually like your opinion on whether or not that made much sense.

Amazed she got something done,  
Glimmer


	4. Partnership

Disclaimer: I don't own, etc, etc.

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It really shouldn't have been as surprise. Neji resented the Main Family, that was for sure, but he wasn't stupid. It had been established from the beginning that Neji surpassed her—the countless days she had gone home bruised and bloody while Neji stayed behind, for more training. How could he turn down an offer from Hiashi?

Hiashi offered in-depth knowledge about the Hyuuga clan's unique jutsu, the curse seal, and a chance to improve his relationship with Main Family. What did she have? A collection of weapons, an established companionship, and a strategy that was fast growing old.

The decision was obvious.

So it was on that sour note that Tenten trudged alone to the training grounds, anticipating a lonely day. After all, Neji had been gone nearly a week already—undoubtedly learning new techniques and accelerating at a speed far faster than when he trained with her.

Sigh. Being abandon was a lonesome feeling.

Maybe she could use to opportunity to better herself; after all, all of her previous training tactics had been molded to suit Neji. Maybe he would even train with her again, once she had improved. She had so much more time to herself now—time she could use to perfect her summoning speed, her long-distance aim, and her sword swinging.

Yes, Tenten nodded, that was a good idea. But then her lips curved downwards into a frown.

Sure, she had always whined and begrudged her lack of time to pursue her own goals. Sure, she often complained to Neji about his unwillingness to help her improve. Sure, she was no stranger to loneliness. But it was an empty feeling, walking down the streets alone. By now, she would have normally met up with Neji, her head swimming with ideas on how to defeat him.

Tenten gripped the hem of her shirt. Her teeth gritted, almost inaudibly.

Like always, she would have to make do. It wasn't like her life revolved around Neji. She had weapons and jutsu's to be perfected. Too much of her life to go to waste, thwacking knifes at targets to perfect a perfect aim while bemoaning her—Tenten grinned—fate.

She reached for her kunai, and twirled it on one finger. It was comforting. She watched as the tip spun around and around, sunlight glinting off the edges and reflections flashing across the faces of the blade. Faces burst onto the metal and disappeared immediately afterwards.

Then she saw it. White eyes and black hair.

She blinked twice, but there he was, nonchalantly leaning against the far tree of their training grounds, eyes closed and face blank. Her day grew a little bit lighter. Neji opened his eyes and smirked.

"Staffs or tonfas?"

Within seconds she was flying at him, a staff gripped in her hands and a wild smile plastered across her face.

* * *

-shrug- Glimmer ran out of ideas. The last part seemed disconnected. But instead of whining about my faults, can I ask you a question? I've been itching to write about a triangle, but I can't think of any good ones. Any ideas?


	5. Better

Disclaimer: 'Course I own Naruto, what do you think Santa's getting me for Christmas?

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She was lying on the ground, three kunai sticking out of her back, a burn on her legs, and a worn scroll twisting around her ankles. The wind played around the papers edges, the bloody scroll fluttering around in an impression of life. Sun spots dotted the clearing; one shined across the unbound glory of Tenten's hair, giving a brilliant sheen to the frayed locks. Another shined on her hands—she was gripping a kunai in one hand and a mace in another, katana strapped sideways across her back. From her fingers came strings—beautiful chakra strings that weaved through the trees and rained down on the clearing like light.

It looked like a scene out of his dreams.

But it wasn't, it was a scene of war. The bodies of enemies lay dead around her, each frozen in disbelief that a girl, a girl who wore pink, fought alone, and chose to equip herself with nothing but weapons could kill them. The result: they were all dead. One died with a kunai to the heart, another from a chain twisted around his neck. Neji could envision everything in his head, each detail revealing a new picture; a spray of blood indicated a new wound, a shuriken embedded in a tree indicated a missed shot.

It was a gory battle.

But it wasn't, because it was a massacre. Five to one—they were hard odds, but Neji expected nothing less. He nodded. Tenten had come out in nearly fatal conditions, but she was alive. He shook her gently. She didn't move. He gave her another once-over.

Blood had stopped seeping from her wounds and started staining the ground red—Neji took it as a good sign. He tapped her again. She was still, the only movement being the scroll fluttering near her ankles. He frowned.

At first, her wounds weren't as severe as he expected, but as he looked closer, he realized that the gashes went deeper than he expected, the burn has reached to the other side of her legs, and a shuriken he hadn't noticed before was stuck in her stomach.

At this point, he should be frantic. But Neji knew better, and with a sort of arrogant pride in his confidence in her, smirked because Tenten was fine. It would take a situation much more dire than this to overwhelm her.

But if Neji didn't know better—and he definitely knew better—he would have thought Tenten was dead.

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The back story here is basically Neji half-deluded that Tenten is fine when she's dead. -sigh- It made more sense in my head.  
Glimmer


End file.
